Who are we?
SIMPLY DIVING is a family business to its core. Established in 1999, it’s owned by the father and son team of Alex & Simon Bell, while it’s managed by Simon and his wife Natasha Johnson Bell.
The Simply Diving Dive Crew
Simon Bell
PADI Elite Course Director / Dive Operations ManagerSimon is the only PADI Course Director on Spain’s Costa del Sol. He began teaching in Mexico in 2004 and has more than 3,500 dives logged from all the corners of the world. He’s lucky to have taught hundreds of people, not only how to dive, but how to teach how to teach diving! A former journalist for BBC national radio, his passions are studying marine life and capturing it on camera.
Simon says: “I have the best job in the world. Every time I take a beginner underwater, I get to enjoy the experience for the first time all over again.”
In 2016, Simon also became a PADI Freediver Instructor. Want to dive on one breath? Email us!
Carl Lambert
PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer / Elite Instructor 2016Carl is originally from England but has lived for well over a decade in Spain and is Simply Diving’s longest serving crew member. A very popular Instructor who is well known for his patience and laid back teaching style, Carl is happy to teach any PADI course, as long as it’s in the water.
Carl says: “Who could ask for something better to call your job? I get to meet new and very different people every day… and get to take them diving!”
Shani Brown
PADI Divemaster / Centre ManagerShani has spent many years in tourism, finding herself in such diverse places as Germany and Egypt. At one time, she managed one of the busiest dive centres in the Red Sea and elsewhere turned her hand to hotel work in the snowy Alps. Shani now calls Spain home and is our Torremolinos centre manager. She’ll be there to greet you in the morning to make sure you’re relaxed and ready for the best day of your holiday.
Shani says: “Book a course or diving with us and I’ll be one of the your first ports of call. I’ll be in charge to see that all the boring (and very important!) stuff is taken care of, but also to do my best to make your diving day one to remember.”
Marbella
Close to the Mediterranean’s gateway, currents rich with nutrients have carved out natural reefs through the ages. Best for:
La Costa Tropical
Home to one of Spain’s most popular dive sites and part of one its most fascinating Marine Reserves. Best for:
Gibraltar
For some of Europe’s best wreck diving, by boat or from the shore. War wrecks and artificial reefs. Best for:
Simply Diving is a Scubapro Educational Association (SEA) Dive Centre
This means that not only do we provide all our students and divers with this brand of global leading dive equipment, but we also have a duty to ensure our kit is regularly maintained, serviced and replenished every two years
Our RIB boat is moored just yards from our dive centre in Marbella Port (Puerto Deportivo de Marbella) and has a capacity for 10 divers only. This is good, because we like to keep our groups small and supervision tight.
Most of our dive sites are within a maximum 5 minute gentle boat ride away, often accompanied by very large schools of spinner and bottlenose dolphins.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest unmissable entries in the Simply Diving Blogbook…
A final few words from the owner, Alex...
Simply Diving has been going strong now for many years but our philosophy is the same now as it always has been: We’re a family-run business providing the best customer service. We’re proud of the hundreds of divers we have looked after and are often told that their day with us was the best of their holiday. We pride ourselves on the quality of training we offer and the fact that the training is done by such friendly, knowledgeable and safety-conscious staff members.